Home Sweet Home
by momewrathsway
Summary: After being reunited back in los angelous, Charlie invites Claire to come stay with him at his aparetment. Unfortunetly, its already ocupied with his other guest. Chapter eight up now.
1. Chapter 1

"So this is it?" Sawyer questioned, eyes roaming aimlessly around the narrow hallway the three stood in.

"Yep. Didn't say it was a palace" Charlie confirmed, wondering if his guest were beginning to reconsider. He'd invited them to stay out of kindness. After all, Sawyer, in his own, strange way, had helped him a lot over the past two and a half years.

And although Desmond was a bit of an alcoholic back on the island, he was the only sign of familiarity on the island Charlie had to home. And besides, he'd been stuck in that hell for a very long time. Who could blame him for drinking?

But once they reached the dingy old building where Charlie's studio apartment was held, it seemed apparent the two were less then satisfied with their new surroundings.

Finally, after a few try's, Charlie managed to get the door open, revealing his messy old apartment, just the way he'd left it. "Here it is" He introduced with an almost genuine since of pride, looking over the disaster that was his home as if it actually were a palace.

The other two lingered in a door way for a moment, taking it all in. The beds, clothed in plain wight sheets and a single blue comforter, still unmade from the last time they'd been slept in.

To the right was a wall with a door leading to a walk in closet that no one had been able to walk in for years. A pair of dressed, cloths falling from open draws and piled on top, on either side of the doorway.

Across from the beds was a little night stand holding up a little TV that looked like it may have been the first colored addition ever made.

The floor had no carpet, just the battered wood you'd find beneath, scattered with cloths and old magazines. The parts of the walls that weren't covered by rock posters were a dull grey-green color, dry wall with no paint.

Over to the left was the kitchen, which consisted of a dwarfish refrigerator, a little stove, a sink, filled with dirty dishes, a washing machine, and small row of counters that divided the space off from the rest of the room.

There was a little table with two chairs near that corner and a door way that lead to the bathroom.

On the opposite wall stood a big wooden piano, and on top of it, Charlie's other guitar. Beside it sat a pair of speakers which were used like nights stands, their tops covered in random items including a goose-neck lamp and an ash tray. The only expensive looking items in the whole room.

All in all the place was a dump, but to Charlie, this was home. This was his paradise.

"Sorry for the mess. Nick's not exactly the neatest person on the planet. I'll have it cleaned up in a couple days" He assured, noting the worried look on their faces.

"Its fine. As long as I got a place to sleep, I'm a happy camper" Sawyer assured with a cheesy grin, dropping his luggage in the door way and marching in.

"Yep. Its better then a hotel" Desmond confirmed, stepping over Sawyer's bags and shutting the door behind him.

Charlie took a seat on the edge of his old bed, bouncing a few times to test it's strength. After all these years, it still didn't creak.

A smile crossed his face as he remembered the last time he'd slept in that bed. Well, maybe slept isn't the correct word.

"My,my, my. What do we have here?" Sawyer questioned, picking up a pile of magazines off the floor. The two on top were a pair of play boys from long before the crash.

By now the lovely ladies on the covers were probably respectable directors or gold diggers.

"They're not mine" Charlie noted, laying back and letting his head hit the pillow. It was nice to be in a real bed. Very nice.

He put his hands back behind his head and looked up at the ceiling, recognizing the stains that stared back down at him with a smile.

"Of course not. Your to much of a pussy" Sawyer confirmed playfully, flipping through the pages with an idle grin. Charlie just laughed and played along.

After living with Sawyer on the island for two and a half years, he'd gotten used to his teasing.

"Nick won't be back for three days, so we have her bed free. I don't know how that's gonna work with the three of us, but we'll manage" Charlie explained, continuing to relax in his own, comfy bed.

"Wait, hold up. _Her_ bed?" Sawyer questioned, raising an eye brow.

"Your roommates a her?" He asked curiously, a look of confusion across his face.

"Yeah. Nick's a girl" Charlie confirmed, wondering why sawyer found that so long to believe.

"Oh, I see. So, these are _her_ play boys, then?" He asked teasingly. Charlie smiled.

"Yeah, she's a lesbian. Is that alright with you?" Charlie asked in response, already knowing the answer.

"Hey, as long as doesn't mind me borrowing her magazines it's fine with me" Sawyer confirmed, plopping down on the bed.

"As long as you don't get anything on them I doubt she'll mind" Charlie confirmed playfully. The two laughed, both knowing very well what that 'anything' would be.

Their attention was turned at the sound of the refrigerator being opened, watching as Desmond retrieved a bottle of bear and popped the cap off, chugging it down as if it had been the first time he'd drank in years. They all knew that wasn't the case.

"You guys want one?" He questioned, once realizing he was being watched.

"Sure" Sawyer agreed willingly. Desmond grinned and tossed him a bear, surprisingly managing to make it across the room without breaking it.

"How about you Charlie?" He asked, already pulling out a second.

"No, thanks. I think I'm just gonna take a shower and get some sleep" Charlie confirmed, not in the mood to fall back into old habits on the first night home.

"Oh, come on. You just got back to civilization after two and a half years, and you ain't even gonna celebrate?" Sawyer questioned, staring at the brit as if he'd lost his mind completely.

"I am gonna celebrate. I'm celebrating my ability to take a shower and get a good nights sleep" Charlie confirmed, resting his head back against the pillow with a satisfied grin. The other two men just laughed in response.

"Well in that case, I'm going to celebrate my ability to drink your bear" Desmond confirmed bluntly, taking a seat on the piano bench and taking another long chug.

"And I'm gonna celebrate my ability to watch naked ladies dance at that strip club we passed on the way in" Sawyer confirmed, closing up the magazine he'd been looking at and hopping to his feet.

"That's an excellent idea, brother. Mind if I join you?" Desmond questioned, knowing very well he could get much more beer there.

"Sure, why not?" Sawyer confirmed, pulling on the coat he'd just removed a few moments ago.

"What about you, Charlie? Still want to sleep the night away?" Desmond asked playfully, finishing off the last sip before putting the bears back in the refrigerator for later.

"Yep. I doubt we'll get much attention what with the lack of cash and the wonderful castaway sent" Charlie reminded, watching as a look of realization crossed their faces.

"Man, Charlie. Why do you always have to be so negative?" Desmond questioned, bighting back up after deciding that they 'ed find someway to get in.

After all, they were victims of a horrible crash that had been all over the news. Someone would find sympathy.

"Yeah, Charlie. Why do you gotta be such a pussy?" Sawyer questioned teasingly. Once again, Charlie just laughed.

"Fine, if you want me to go that much then I'll go. But I'm taking a shower first" He confirmed, pushing himself back up.

"That's more like it!" Sawyer confirmed, cheering in response. Charlie shook his head as he slipped out of bed, reluctantly rising to his feet.

"I'll see you later" He replied, and disappeared into the bathroom. "If you can, bring us some cash!" Sawyer yelled in response before closing the door and heading out.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry about the mess up, I put the chapter up in the early hours of the morning so I guess I wasn't paying attention. Thanks for the heads up meganfitz!

After taking a shower and changing into some clean cloths, Charlie made his way down the street until he reached the little club conveniently located on the corner and stepped inside, wondering if any of the girls would still recognize him.

The place hadn't changed much. It was still filled with neon lights and half naked girls, all glittery and covered in tacky costumes. 

The strobe lights still pulsed to the shitty house music or the occasional old rock at roll, which he much preferred. And it still smelled of bear and cheap perfume.He stood close to the door for a moment, taking it all in.

"Hey, baby. Your all wet. What happened?" A girl with long, curly brown hair questioned, invading his space as she looked at him with a pout and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah, is it raining?" Another girl questioned curiously. Blonde, go figure. "Oh, no. I just got out of the shower 'sall" Charlie replied, feeling a little nervous under the sudden attention. Especially with the friendly brunette leaning on him.

"Aw, isn't that sweet!" The blonde explained, pressing a hand to her chest that was barely covered by a hot pink bra.

"Yeah, you'd be surprised how many guys come in here smelling like they haven't bathed in years" The brunette agreed, glancing over her shoulder indicating at a pair of guys who sat front row in front of the cat walk stage.

One with a southern accent, cheering loudly at the dancer on stage. The other paying more attention the bottle in his hand then the girl on his lap. Surprise, surprise.

"Well, to be honest I actually haven't taken one in years. Neither have they" Charlie began, hoping to do his friends a favor by explaining their crude behavior. The girls stared at him in confusion for a moment, not quite understanding.

"We were on flight 180" He explained, looking down at his feet. 

"The plain that crashed?" The brunette questioned, letting out a loud gasp and mimicking the blonde's previous gesture by pressing a hand to her chest. Charlie nodded in response.

"There was a plain crash?" The blonde questioned, a dumbfound look across her face. 

"Yeah, I heard about it on the news. It happened like, two years ago. They just got back" The brunette explained, a sympathetic tone in her voice.

"Aw, you poor thing" The blonde exclaimed with a pout, running her hand down his chest. Charlie shifted a little, taking in a heavy gulp. "You wanna drink?" The brunette questioned, continuing to toy with his hair.

"Uh, I actually just got back. I don't really have any money" He explained, nervously. "Don't be silly. For you, its on the house" She confirmed with a smile, and before he could protest, she grabbed hold of his hand and lead the way to the bar.

"Well, I could use a drink" He agreed, flashing an awkward smile towards the blonde at his side who in a strange way resembled Claire. Well, if Claire ever become mentally retarded and lost all her cloths.

The girls got him a table and ordered him a drink, taking their seats on either side as they waited form them to arrive. Charlie tapped his hands against his thighs, fidgeting as usual until the drinks arrived.

"So what's your name?" The brunette questioned, after taking a sip from her bottle. He was a bit surprised to see a stripper drinking something that wasn't pink and didn't come with an umbrella, unlike the lady to his left.

"Charlie" He explained, purposely leaving out his last name in fear of being recognized as a public icon. If he had to hear another half naked girl squeal at the thought of meeting a rock star, he was going to shoot himself.

"I'm Charlotte, and its nice to meet you" The brunette explained, taking another opportunity to feel him up after shaking his hand. 

"I'm Tammy" The blonde explained proudly after slurping down a whole quarter of her drink, not realizing her extended delay in responding.

"Nice to meet you, Tammy" Charlie greeted, not wanting to make the poor girl feel dumb. He might be at a strip club, but he was still a gentlemen.

"You know, your accents pretty cute" She noted, taking little attention to his attempt at being polite as she leaned against him, toying with her bright blue straw. "Thanks" Charlie replied with a bashful grin after taking a sip of his own drink.

"Yeah, where are you from?" Charlotte questioned, continuing to play with his hair. The girl was bloody fascinated. "Uh, Manchester" He replied a bit reluctantly, wondering if either of them would know what he was saying. From the looks on their faces, they did not.

"England" He added, taking a nervous gulp. "Oh!" The pair both nodded in response, giggling at their own ignorance after making the realization.

"So, tell me, Charlie. Are the strippers in England as pretty as us?" Charlotte questioned, laying a hand on his thigh. 

Charlie's first instinct was to pull away, feeling a bit to crowded by her pushiness. Then he remembered that he'd been around girls like her plenty in his life, and after taking a deep breath, managed to calm himself down.

"Not even close" He replied playfully, regaining some of his cool. After all, he was a rock god. He knew how to talk to groupies enough to get them into bed. Why not strippers? The two girls giggled in response, jiggling much more then was necessary at his little compliment.

"You are to sweet" Tammy replied, laying her head on his shoulder. Charlie smiled and, after taking another sip, put his arm around her waist. The guys were right. This was his first night home, and he was going to enjoy it. 

After all, him and Claire weren't a couple. Sure, there was that one kiss. But after that she made it very clear that she just wanted to be friends. Hell, he didn't even know if he was ever going to see her again.

The thought made him feel a bit bitter, and he used his free hand to take another sip of his drink before sliding it around Charlotte's shoulder, his eyes growing a bit darker as his mind started to wonder.

Meanwhile, Tammy continued to trace circles across his chest with her finger tips, fallowing the design on his T-shirt, while Charlotte's hand began to creep higher up his thigh. 

Usually at this point he'd find some polite way of asking the girls to stop. Perhaps saying that he had a girl friend, and although she didn't mind him going to clubs to look on occasions, he would feel bad for taking advantage of her trust by letting some pretty girls feel him up.

But once again he reminded himself that he didn't have a girl friend, he was a free man. And if he wanted some pretty girls to feel him up the he was free to do so. 

So instead of speaking up or shyly shifting away, he turned his head to face her, and after a few seconds of consideration, closed his eyes and leaned in, knowing she'd be more then willing to comply.

Meanwhile...

"So you were really stuck on an island for all that time?" asked Ginger, a pretty young red head with an outfit to match, sitting on top of Desmond's lap. 

"I'm afraid so, luv" He replied, his voice already a bit slurred after his third drink.

"Man, I bet its been a long time since you've been with a women" She noted, running her hand down his chest. 

"Believe me. Its been painfully long" He confirmed in a suggestive tone before lifting his bottle and taking another gulp, finishing it off.

"I don't know how you guys did it. I mean, two years with no sex, fast food, TV? Come on!" Shelly, a thin blonde, dressed in black leather, who was seated on Sawyer's lap, explained in amazement.

"Yeah. It was real hard" Sawyer agreed solemnly, nodding his head. 

"Aw!" The girls squealed in unison, and quickly began feeling them up in order to make them feel better.

"Guys, you won't believe the guy who just came in here" Tammy exclaimed, making her way over. Suddenly, the two girls were no longer paying attention to the boy's needs.

"He's this really hot British kid, says he's from some plain crash" The full busted blonde began, leaning on the back of Sawyer's chair. "Wow! So are these guys!" Ginger exclaimed in utter shock. Desmond and Sawyer exchanged a glance.

"Oh, So Charlie showed up after all. Where is the boy?" Sawyer questioned, tilting his head back to look up at the blonde leaning over him and getting an eye full of cleavage in response. 

She turned her head to look over her shoulder and he fallowed her gaze over to a booth in the back of the room where Charlie sat with two girls, actively making out with one and being groped and necked by the other.

"Holly shit!" Sawyer exclaimed, surprised to see a kid who was usually so uptight when it came to women receiving such attention. 

"Wow. Look at him go" Desmond noted in reply, already in a drunken daze after starting his fourth bear.

"I swear, he has the hottest voice ever" Tammy explained, idly staring back at the table. 

"Really?" Shelly questioned, looking intrigued. "Yeah, he's British or something. He's a good kisser too" Tammy continued, lifting the bottle of bear that belong to Sawyer off the table and taking a sip.

"Wow. I'll have to check this out" Ginger stated, staring back at the table with a longing look. 

"I'm about to head back now. Wanna come with?" Tammy offered, setting the bottle back down and ignoring the angry leer Sawyer was giving her.

"Sure!" The pair agreed, and before they knew it, the three girls where all gone, leaving the men with nothing but the warmth left over from where they were sitting.

"Did that just happen?" Desmond questioned, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. 

"Yeah, it happened! The little fucker stole our strippers!" Sawyer exclaimed angrily, ready to head over there and kick his ass. Desmond grabbed his arm in order to hold him back.

"Don't worry. There's plenty left" Desmond assured, helping him calm back down. Sawyer noted and took a seat, waiting for another pair to come along and listen to their sob story in hopes of getting another round of free lap dances and beer.  



	3. Chapter 3

The next morning the boys woke up back at Charlie's apartment along with four girls from the club, woken by the sound of loud banging at the door.

"Charlie, get the door" Sawyer groaned, tossing a magazine at his head in order to wake him. "What?" Charlie grumbled, face buried in the pillow, still half asleep.

"Answer the fucking door!" Sawyer insisted moodily, about ready to go over there and kick his as if he didn't get up soon. Charlie sat up with a look of confusion, a sudden pain rushing to his head as the sound of banging filled his ears.

"God damn it" He muttered to himself as he climbed over one of the sleeping girls in order to get out of bed and make his way to the door. He made his way over and unlocked it in a zombie like state.

"Charlie!" Nick exclaimed, practically knocking him down as she threw her arms around him and jumped up, giving him an overly-enthused welcome home hug.

"Hello love" He replied, quickly putter her back down in fear he would fall over and hurt them both. The girl let him go but continued to bounce excitedly in the door way.

"I thought you weren't due back for two more days?" He questioned curiously, wondering how she'd managed to book a flight home on such short notice.

"Yeah, but once I heard you were back I decided to come home early, so I got one of my friends who was already supposed to come back today to trade tickets with me. That way she gets an extended vacation and I get to come home and see you!" She explained happily, hugging him once again.

"Well, In case you can't tell I invited some of my friends from the crash to stay with us for a while. I hope you don't mind?" Charlie explained, looking around the room that was even more trashed now then it was when they 'ed gotten there.

"There were strippers on the plane?" Nick questioned, eyeing the pair of girls in his bed curiously. "Oh, no. They just, you know, stayed the night" Charlie explained shly, tucking his hands inside his pockets and looking down at his feet.

"Charlie, you animal! Wish I would have gotten home sooner. I could have joined in" Nick noted teasingly, looking around the room with a smile on her face. Charlie laughed nervously, just glad to know she wasn't mad about not having a bed.

"Well, I have to go take a shower so I'll leave you boys alone. You look like you need some more rest, any way" She teased, poking Charlie in the chest before setting down her luggage and heading towards the bathroom.

"Mind if I come with?" Sawyer questioned, lifting his head from the women's chest, which he'd been using as a pillow. Nick stopped and turned around with an amused smile.

"That's Sawyer. Just ignore him" Charlie instructed as he crawled back into bed, struggling to make room between the two girl who where sleeping heavily. Nick just laughed and disappeared behind the door.

"You sure she's a lesbian?" Sawyer questioned, watching after her in delight. "Believe me, I'm sure" Charlie confirmed, already half asleep.

"Will you two kindly shut the hell up?" Desmond questioned drowsily from the floor, holding his head in pain.

"Sorry" Charlie replied apologetically, only making the head ache worse.

Desmond flinched in response to the sound as it filled his over sensitive ears, causing his head to pound and causing Sawyer to laugh in response to his oblivious pain.

Desmond threw a pillow at him angrily and grumbled something in a Scottish slur before burying his face against the stripper's back.

For a while it was silent. Desmond fell back to sleep. Sawyer went back to grouping the women beside him, and Charlie was steady day dreaming as he laid back against his favorite pillow.

When he'd first woken up, the first thing he saw was a few strands of long blonde hair right in front of his face, falling against a bare back of a women who laid beside him. For a moment, still half asleep, he'd imagined it was Claire. A smile crossed his face at the thought.

Then, suddenly remembering, he hoped up and leaned over the sleeping girl in order to check the answering machine that sat on his night stand for messages.

"Did Claire call yet?" Sawyer asked curiously, remember overhearing the sad little conversation he over heard on the plane.

Suddenly a robotic female voice emerged from the speaker, explaining that they had "no new messages." Charlie frowned in response, and Desmond growled at the contentious noise they were making.

"I guess not" Charlie replied in disappointment as he sat the answering machine back on the night stand. "I wouldn't worry to much. It might be a while before she can contact you" Sawyer reminded sleepily, shifting in his bed.

"Yeah, your probably right" Charlie agreed, although it didn't change the fact that he didn't get to wake up to Claire's voice. He rolled onto his side and slammed his head against his pillow, hoping that by the next time he woke up, there would be a message waiting for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Charliepacesmaug: Thanks! I'll do my best. 

Charlie fidgeted nervously as he sat in aisle seat of the plain, the sound of his ring clicking against the arm rest flooding his ears. The loud tapping didn't stop until he felt a soft, warm hand come to rest on top of his, drawing him out of his panicking daze. 

"Charlie, calm down. Your making me nervous" Claire instructed playfully, flashing him a bright smile that caused him to melt in his seat. The tapping stopped instantly. 

"Sorry" He apologized, looking down at his lap in embarrassment. After all, he wasn't the only one on this plane who had been involved in a crash, the least he could do was to stop from making it any more nerve racking then it already was. 

"Its ok." She assured, patting his hand comfortingly. "You just looked so stressed out." She added after a moment, showing some concern. 

"I'm just twitching. Its how I cope" He replied with a shrug, hoping to lighten the mood a bit with a stupid joke. Claire giggled in response and he felt much better. 

"Well, cut it out. The last thing I need is for Aaron to wake up and ruin the flight for everyone" Claire noted, glancing down at the bundle in her lap with a smile, happy to see him taking his first flight so well. 

"Yeah, because its been going great so far" Charlie noted sarcastically, shifting in his seat uneasily. "Its just a little turbulence, Charlie. We're not gonna crash" Claire assured in a motherly tone. 

"That's what they said the last time!" He reminded persistently, letting his nerves get the best of him. Claire just laughed in response, finding his panic attack quite amusing. 

"Well, if we crash, we crash. There's no point worrying about it, so calm down" She insisted, a playfully grin across her face. 

"Your right" Charlie agreed, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine" He assured, eyes widened dramatically as he nodded, trying to assure himself. Claire laughed and shook her head, adjusting Aaron in her lap. 

Charlie glanced down at the baby, who continued to sleep peacefully despite the bumpy ride, not to mention Charlie's fidgeting. 

That's when it dawned on him that they would be leaving. Him and Claire, they would be out of his life. Sure, they 'ed stay in contact. But they were no longer on the island, and Claire no longer needed him to protect her. 

"So, exactly where do you plane on going once we get back home?" He questioned, shifting once again so that his body faced her. 

"I'm not quite sure yet. If my parents are at the air port, then I'll probably go home with them. Either that or one of my friends. At least until I can get my own place" Claire explained as she looked down at Aaron, bouncing him in her lap. 

"What about you?" She questioned, looking up suddenly. She'd begun to day dream when looking down at her child, wondering how she was going to manage taking care of him without Charlie there to help. 

He was always so good with Aaron. He always knew how to calm him down or make him laugh. He always had an answer. 

But as much as Charlie loved Aaron, she knew she couldn't ask him to be his father. Charlie was a young man who was just as desperate to get back to his old life as she was. She wasn't about to make him suffer for her mistake, not that she really considered Aaron to be a mistake. At least, not any more. 

"I guess I'll just be heading back to my old apartment" Charlie replied with a shrug, not really sounding to pleased about the thought. 

"You think its still open?" Claire questioned curiously, wondering how the owners managed to keep it vacant all this time. 

"Well, I had a roommate, who I called when we got on the plane. She's on vacation, according to the answering machine, but the apartments still there." He explained, looking around the plain aimlessly, still unable to sit still. 

"Oh, well in that case you should give me your number. That way I can call and, you know, keep in touch" Claire suggested with a shrug, glad to know she'd be able to contact him. 

"Good idea! Hear-" He agreed, and quickly began fumbling through his bag for a scrap piece of paper. Unfortunately, he could find none. 

Most of the stuff in his bag was just cloths and things he'd found on the island that he kept as a souvenir. There wasn't much paper to go around. 

"I've got some" Claire explained, and shifted Aaron into one arm so that she could reach down into her bag and retrieved the diary that sat in a side pocket with a pin tucked inside. 

She flashed Charlie a smile when she handed it to him, and watch curiously as he flipped to the next empty page an frantically scribbled the number down, adding his name and a little smiley face just to make her smile. 

Claire giggled and tucked the diary back into its pocket, relieved at the thought of her being able to stay in contact. After living with him every day on the island for two and a half years, depending on him, laughing with him, caring for him. A life without Charlie was unimaginable. 

"It might be a few days before I can reach you, just so you know. I'm not sure where I'm going quite yet. I might have to move around a bit, and I doubt I'll be able to have access to a phone" She explained, wondering how the next couple days would play out. It all seemed so uncertain. So scary. And Charlie wouldn't be there to make it better. 

"Understandable. Just make sure you call soon as you get settled in. You know how easy it is to make me panic" He reminded playfully, taking notice to the worried look on her face. She forced a smile, trying not to thank about what lied ahead. 

"I will" She promised, wishing she could just push the idea out of her mind. But the thought of having to be shuffled from place to place, plane to plane, not to mention with a baby in toe! 

Having to sleep in hotels and scrap for diapers and baby food. Keep from fussing. Plus her own hunger and lack of sleep. It was all a bit overwhelming. 

It wasn't long before her mind was flooded with worry, and she began to feel herself buckle under the wait of it all. 

She blinked her eyes, trying to keep the drops from falling, but it was simply no use. Her vision was starting to go blurry, and she knew that she would soon be soaked in tears. 

"Um, Charlie, would you mind holding Aaron for a bit? I need to use the bath room" Claire explained, leaning forward and pretending to get something out of her bag in order to hide her face from him. 

"Sure" Charlie agreed more the willingly, and gladly took the sleeping bundle into his arms. Claire managed to make the exchange and squeez through without him noticing, and quickly made her way down the asile to the bathroom so she could hurry up and whipe the stupid tears off her face. 

Charlie sat in his seat, bouncing Aaron in his lap. He was glad to be able to hold him again. Aaron was like a son to him. He'd done everything for this baby. 

The thought of having to part with him, not to mention Claire, was utterly unbearable. At that moment he knew he couldn't stay away from them for long. Even if it meant flying to Australia and hunting them down. 

"Hey Charlie" a souther accent broke his train of thought. "Yeah?" Charlie replied, turning his head to face Sawyer, who sat in the seat across from him on the other side of the aisle. 

"You said you had an apartment?" Sawyer questioned, not bothering to apologize for ease dropping on their conversation. "Yeah, why?" Charlie questioned, wondering why Sawyer was so interested. 

"Cause I need a place to stay" He replied bluntly, as if it should have been obvious. Charlie considered this for a moment. On one hand, Sawyer was a dick. He was mean and grumpy and probably a horrible person to live with. 

But, on the other hand, he had helped Charlie a lot over the years, and he was pretty easy to deal with once you got to no him. Besides, he'd already lived with him for two and a half years, a few more days wasn't gonna hurt. 

"Oh, sure, you welcome to stay." Charlie assured, glad to know he could be helping someone, even if it wasn't Claire. "Thanks man, I owe you one" Sawyer replied appreciatively, leaning across theaisle to give him a slap on the shoulder. 

"Don't mention it" Charlie assured, just happy to help. After that, Sawyer went back to reading his news paper and Charlie went back to bouncing Aaron in his lap. 

"Hey, Charlie" Another voice interrupted, this time a Scottish accent that came from behind him. Charlie shifted around until he located the speaker, who sat behind him, leaning over his chair. 

"How big is your apartment?" Desmond questioned, cutting straight to the point. Charlie blinked at him curiously for a moment. "Its a studio apartment, two beds. But my roommates out for three days, so if you need a place to stay until then-" He began, wondering if this whole happy to help plan was such a good idea. 

"Thanks brother, your the best" Desmond replied before he could even finish his sentence, giving him an appreciative slap on the shoulder before disappearing back behind the seat. 

"No problem" Charlie replied through closed teeth, doing his best to fake a smile. Oh, man. This was gonna be hell. 


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't until late that afternoon when Charlie finally woke up once again. The exhaustion from the plane ride yesterday and staying up all night finally catching up with him. 

By then the strippers hand all gone, along with Desmond, who'd went off to get some breakfast and try to locate his ex girlfriend. Only Nick was left. 

"Hey" She greeted him with a smile as soon as his eyes opened, giving him a bit of a scare. "We're you watching me sleep?" He questioned, eyeing her curiously as he sat up, glad to know his head ache had passed. 

"Yeah, you were talking" She explained with a laugh and a shrug, kneeling at the side of his bed. "Was I?" He questioned, finding it a bit strange. She nodded in conformation. 

"What did I say?" He asked curiously, feeling around for his shirt. And boxers. And pants. If it wasn't just nick in the room, he might have felt the need to be a bit more modest, but Nick had seen him naked plenty of times and her was no longer concerned with covering himself up. 

"Something about a girl named Claire" She explained with a suggestive hint in her voice. Charlie stared at her for a moment in disbelief. 

"What about a girl named Claire?" He insisted, hoping he didn't say anything to inappropriate. Sure, he had plenty of dirty thoughts about Claire, but he was pretty hell bent on keeping them to himself. 

"I'm not really sure, you were just mumbling. That's why was so close up, I was trying to hear what you were saying" She explained, leaning her elbows on the bed. "Hm" Charlie muttered in response, giving a little shrug before he continued to look for his cloths. 

"So who is she?" Nick questioned curiously, desperate to know about the women he was rambling about. He hadn't said much in his sleep other then her name, but the fact that he was talking about her in his sleep alone must mean he thought about her a lot. 

"She's a girl who was on the crash" Charlie explained, trying not to give to much away. "Uh,hu" Nick nodded, encouraging him to continue. 

"Well, she was stuck with the rest of us on the island and we became good friends" Charlie continued, hoping she would drop it. 

Every moment she distracted him was another moment he had to go without cloths, and the thought of Claire fresh in his mind was making his nudity a bit more uncomfortable then he'd initially hoped. 

"So, where is she now?" Nick asked curiously, wondering why he'd brought back two guys instead of her. 

"Somewhere in Australia" He replied, finally locating his pants, which were wedged against between the head board and the mattress. He shook his head, wondering how in hell they'd managed to get there. 

"Oh" Nick replied, looking a bit disappointed at the tone he used in his response. He sounded bitter, and that worried her some. 

"She's supposed to call as soon as she gets settled in" Charlie explained, shining some light on the sad departure. 

"Oh" Nick replied once again, brightening up a little. "Then what?" She asked curiously, leaning her elbows against the bed, close to his thighs. 

"What do you mean?" He asked curiously, struggling to fix his jeans, which were all tangled and inside out. 

"Well, if I remember correctly, the pattern goes 'first comes love, then comes marriage-" Nick began teasingly, unable to keep from cracking a smile before she could finish. 

"Shut up" Charlie replied, giving up on the pants and throwing them at her head as punishment for the stupid remark. "Besides, she already has a kid" He added, as he stood up, about to head over to the dresser to get a clean pair of pants. 

At that moment, the bath room door opened and Sawyer emerged, dressed in no more in a towel, walking out just in time to see Charlie standing, naked, with nick in front of him, on her knees. 

"Lesbian, huh?" He questioned teasingly through a mouth full of tooth paste as he headed over to the sink, ready to spit. 

Charlie rolled his eyes and grabbed the sheet from his bed to cover himself as he quickly made his way over to the dresser, not wanting to be naked in front of Sawyer any longer then he had to. 

Nick pushed herself off the floor and rose to her feet as well, feeling a bit embarrassed in the presence of two half naked men, especially since one of them was dripping wet. She glanced at him from across the counter, watching as he leaned over the sink to spit out the tooth paste that filled his mouth. 

From the few short encounters she shared with him, it was clear that he was a complete and utter ass whole. But, she couldn't help but admit to herself that he was indeed a hot one. 

He lifted his head up and looked at her suddenly, grinning in amusement once he realized she was staring at him. Nick felt her face turn red and quickly turned away, trying to remember the last time a man hand made her feel that way. 

But as she turned to face the opposite direction, just in time to see Charlie zip up his pants, she remembered. Charlie had been the last guy she'd dated, more then four years ago. They decided they were better off as friends, and continued living together after the break up. 

He was just that nice of a guy.The hadn't even argued about it. She told him she didn't want to date any more, that she thought she might be more attracted to girls, and that was that. that was the last time a man had ever turned her on. At least, until now. 

Charlie glanced back up at her curiously, wondering why she was watching him zip his pants. The fact that she was blushing made the whole thought all the more confusing. 

Then he watched as she looked back over her shoulder, twirling a ringlet of her dark brown locks around her finger as she watched Sawyer straightened back up and casually drop his tooth brush in the sink before heading over to the refrigerator to check for more bear, and suddenly it all made since. 

A grin crossed his face as he made the realization, and he quickly turned around so that she didn't take notice to the look on his face. Apparently living with Sawyer was going to be a bit more interesting then he thought. 


	6. Chapter 6

Charlie sat for a long time in silence as he drank down the coffee Nick had bought him at thelittle cafe down the street, lost in thought. As usual, he was thinking about Claire. Wondering how her and Aaron were doing. 

Worrying. He sat his cup down and whipped his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to keep the thoughts out of his mind. 

"So, what happened with you and Sawyer while I was asleep?" He questioned, deciding to strike up conversation. Besides, this was payback for letting her tease him about Claire. 

"Nothing happened" She replied all to quickly, shrugging to make herself look a bit more casual. Charlie scoffed bluntly, rolling his eyes. 

"Oh, I see. So the flirting only started after he came out to brush his teeth in our kitchen?" He asked skeptically, raising one eye brow as he leaned his elbows on the table. 

"I don't know what your talking about" Nick replied, looking away nervously. A grin widened across Charlie's face, having no doubt that she was lying. 

"You know, your really bad at this" He noted teasingly, enjoying being able to mess with her once again. 

"Shut up" She replied with a laugh, knowing there was going to be no winning with him. Charlie just laugh triumphantly and took another sip of his coffee. 

"So, what have you been up to while I was off on my extended vacation?" Charlie asked sarcastically, eager to catch up. 

"Well, besides mourning your stupid death, I started designing some more, got myself a little studio and everything" She explained, leaning her elbows on the table. 

"Did you guys really think I was dead?" He questioned curiously, leaning against the table as well. 

"Of course we did Charlie! You were gone for two bloody years and we had no sodding clue where you were!" She exclaimed, as if the answer should be obvious. 

"Was there a funeral?" He questioned with a grin, not seeming to catch the seriousness in her voice. 

"Yes! There was a huge fucking funeral at a great big Catholic church and all your stupid bad friends and fans and groupies and a sodding news team were there to see it!" She explained bitterly, trying to get it into his head that she had actually been upset by his supposed death. 

"What did they put in the coffin?" He questioned sarcastically, receiving a flying fork in his direction in response to the remark. "Charlie!" Nick exclaimed in frustration, eyes wide with annoyance. 

"I'm sorry. I just, I guess I never thought of it that way" He explained, deciding to lay off the jokes before she stabbed him with a butter knife in the middle of the quiet cafe. 

"Well, what did you think? We were all just going to use our faith and wait for you to magically appear?" She questioned sarcastically, lowering her voice to keep from drawing attention to their conversation. She'd gotten enough of that back when he was in the band. 

"No. I mean, I knew after some time that you guys would have to give up and move on with your lives, but I never really thought about how you all would react. 

I mean, I knew I was alive, so I couldn't really imagine you all dressed in black crying around my casket" He explained, the realization suddenly hitting him. 

All the time on the island he'd been so distracted by his own problems and his love for Claire that he never even thought about the people who loved him at home. In fact, he'd almost forgotten they 'ed existed. 

"What did you expect, Charlie? That we'd all just forget?" She asked curiously, eye brows lowering as she watched his expression drop in thought. 

"In all honesty I didn't think about it at all. There were to many distractions. After the first few weeks I'd almost forgotten my past entirely" He explained, having not realized it until now. 

Nick let out a sound that seemed to be a mixture of surprised and disgust as she leaned back against the booth and gaped at him in aw, wondering how it was possible that someone trapped on a deserted island in the middle of no where could go so long without thinking about a life that they 'ed known for twenty two years. Well, twenty at the time of the crash. 

"Only you, Charlie" She finished with a sigh and a roll of her eyes as she leaned forward once again to take a sip of her coffee. Charlie shrugged and laughed in response, turning his head to stare out the window at his side. 

He watched the busy streets as people passed back and forth between a row of parked cars. People with jobs and family's. Talking on cell phones, drinking star bucks, dressed in business suits or stilettos. They all seemed so unfamiliar, as if this were his first time being in a big city. 

Nothing had really changed in the few years he'd been gone, and yet nothing was ever going to be the same. The sound of pigeons cooing as the pecked at the trash, the honking of car horns and the rumbling of their engines and bombing stereos in the distance. 

The sound of voice talking back and forth, a thousand different conversations at once, the foot steps against the pavement, all that once had been a mindless white noise that was so familiar to him that he rarely paid attention to it now flooded his ears as if they had just been opened, and he could truly hear things for the first time. 

It left him with an uneasy feeling. Everything seemed so rushed. So pussy. Everyone in a hurry to be in one place or another. 

Never enjoying the moment because they were always thinking about the moments ahead. He looked out at the business men and the stock holders and the fashion editors and felt sorry. 

Sorry that the would never appreciate this morning, this walk down the street as they headed to work. They 'ed probably die a few years later, but a few years to soon from some heart attack or car accident and never be able to look back and see the world as anything but something they 'ed simply passed by. 

At that moment he wish that he could see something familiar. A sign of life in that mindless crowd. Something beautiful. Something natural. A plant. A tree. A sandy beach with scattered tents lined with a lush green jungle, all beneath a crystal blue sky. 

Or the peaches and pinks of sun rise. The golden sun set. Or a clear, dark night sky, dotted with thousands of sparkling stars. Hell, even a heavy rain cloud brining a violent tropical storm could have subdued hisurge to feast his eyes on the all natural beauty that earth created. 

And then he saw it, nothing more to anyone else but a face in the crowd, but to him it was the most beautiful sight on either. Claire moved down the crowded side walk, struggling to move against the heavy wind that was blowing past. 

Her hair blowing in her face and her cloths rippling and whipping around her body as she walked with a confused an wondrous daze. 

His eyes widened as he saw her stop at the corner to set down the bag she was carrying and kneel down so she could dig through it in search of a hair tie to pull her the long blonde curls that were currently beating her senseless back into her usual sloppy bun before rising back up again, adjusting herself, and head across the street. 

For a moment, all the noise of the city seemed to die away. Nothing seemed rushed or frantic. In fact, everything seemed to slow to a stop, pausing for an instant just so he could watch Claire make her way across the street, idly looking over back over her shoulder as she realized she'd left her bag sitting on the corner of the side walk. 

She'd only stopped for an instant and had already begun to turn around to go back and retrieve it before someone else did when it happen. 

A beat up old yellow taxi with a rather large and harry driver who was to busy cleaning the spilled coffee off his shirt to pay attention to the rode suddenly came into view and slammed into her before she even had to time to see him coming. 

Their was a horrible screech as the car came to a stop along with a crescendo of screams from those who witnessed it. Suddenly all the noise and adrenalin rushed back into Charlie's veins as he stood from the both, hands pressed against the window. 

"Oh my god" Nick gasped, holding a napkin to her mouth as she looked at the accident, where a crowd was steadily blocking their view. 

Before she knew it, Charlie had leaped from their booth and ran out the door, disappearing into the street that was now littered with gawkers all stopping to see the world for once in their busy schedule. And this is what it takes. 


	7. Chapter 7

Charlie pushed his way through the crowd and ran to the front of the taxi where Claire laid in the middle of the road with her head to the side, completely oblivious to the world around her. 

He rushed to her side and dropped to his knees on the gravel, sliding his hand under her head as he looked her over in a panic. 

There wasn't much blood and the bit that there was wasn't coming from her head meant she was probably ok unless she was bleeding internally. 

But in his state of fear he was not able to fallow logic. To him, Claire was in danger and every ounce of his body was driven to protect her. 

He began trembling anxiously as he tried to concentrate. Tried to think of what he should do. By now an ambulance had been called and was steady on its way. There was nothing that he could do. Nothing but stay with her and wait. 

He laid his other hand on her stomach and stared down at her emotionless face, watching as the color returned and her thick lashes began to flutter. Grinning like a fool as her eyes slowly opened in a look of dazed confusion. 

"Why hello there" She spoke softly, still a bit off after hitting her head on the pavement. Charlie smiled, overjoyed just to see her conscious. He ran his hand down the side of her face, brushing the hair away. 

"What happened?" She asked after a moment, looking around in confusion. Her body had now woken up fully and the pain in her leg was slowly starting to register in her jarred brain. 

"You were hit by a taxi. I think your leg might be broken" He explained, looking down at the only part of her body that was actually bleeding as he helped her sit up. 

"Oh" She replied simply, the sight of her own blood making her cringe in the realization that she was actually hurt. 

Charlie watched as she sucked in a sharp breath, knowing that the pain had settled in. He winched in response to her winching as if he had felt it himself, and began to wondering where the god damn ambulance could be. 

Charlie glance over his shoulder at the driver who stood beside his taxi, staring down at them with an apologetic look across his face. 

"Can you take us to a hospital?" He asked, squeezing Claire's hand and supporting her back as she tried to push herself but only managed to put more pressure on her wounded calve and cause herself more pain. 

"Of course" The man replied with a nod and hurried to open the back door. Charlie scooped her up into his arms and carried her the short distance to the end of the taxi before carefully sliding her into the back seat and scooting in beside her to keep her leg elevated on the way there. 

Once in and situated he went to close the door, but just before he did he was burned with the awful feeling that he was forgetting something. He paused for a moment in thought, trying to figure out what it was. Then, to Claire's dismay, he hoped out of the cab entirely and returned moment's later with the bag she'd been carrying. 

Claire smiled as he sat the bag in on the floor and carefully lifted her thighs in order to slide back under and let them rest on his lap before he closed the door and the cab drove away. 

They made it to the hospital surprisingly fast, mostly out of the drivers guilt for hitting the poor girl in the first place. But that didn't stop Charlie from worrying the whole way. 

He continued to look back and forth from Claire to the window, watching the blurry streets as they sped past, waiting and waiting for a hospital to come into view. 

He had begun to sweat impatiently and his fingers were busy keeping a steady beat against her left calve, the one that hadn't been injured. Then suddenly, he felt a soft, gentle hand lay on top of his, and turned to meet eyes with Claire who gave him a sweet, soothing smile. 

"Calm down, Charlie. Your making me nervous" She muttered in a half-sleeping stare, her eyes barely open as she stared back at him. Charlie smiled back at her and the tapping stopped along with the car as they pulled up in front of the building. 

The driver had called the hospital on his cell phone and there was a team of paramedics waiting . Charlie opened the door and helped Claire up before the medics took Charlie and quickly got her up on the stretcher and strapped down like a raving mental patient. 

Charlie thought it was all a bit excessive, and that it was probably doing more to scare her then to make her feel safe, but he was no doctor and in no place to tell them what to do. All he asked is that the got her in a cast before the poor girl passed out form the pain. 

He moved side by side with the stretcher with his hand squeezing hers all the way down the hall until they reached the first open room. In a flash she was off the stretcher and sitting up right on a bed, being told to wait a few seconds, the doctor would be in soon. 

Charlie shot the nurse a glare, not liking the idea of having to wait for her to be taken care of. But Claire gave him a look that reminded him this was a busy hospital and all she had was a broken leg, there was no reason to start demanding medical attention just yet. 

Strange how all she needed to do was give him a look and he could know exactly what she was trying to say. Then he smiled and looked down at his feet, his way of saying she was right, and wondered if they could have an entire conversation trough facial expressions and not say a word. 

A few moments later a doter came in and introduced himself before kneeling down to inspect her calve. Charlie watched him with interest, making sure the stranger was careful not to hurt her in the process. 

"Its a good thing your wearing those tiny, tiny little shorts instead of something practical for the weather like, I don't know, pants. Way to think ahead" Charlie teased, knowing it would make her feel better. 

Claire smacked his chest playfully and continued to look down at the doctor, feeling a bit more comfortable with having a complete stranger's face that close to her lap. 

"Speaking of convenient, how the hell did you manage to come to my rescue that fast?" Claire questioned, eyeing him curiously. Charlie paused for a moment, taking notice to the strange coincidence. 

"I knew it. Your stalking me" She confirmed playfully, mocking a look of shock for comical effect. 

"Damn, you got me. I was watching from a dumpster just waiting for you to get hit. In fact, I had paid the driver to do it. It was all one big scam for me to save your life one more time" Charlie explained sarcastically, laughing along with her at the odd turn of fate. 

"Well, your lucky. Nothing's broken. Just a scraped knee and some bruises" The doctor interrupted their like flirting session as he rose to his feet, cutting straight to business. 

"That's great! Thank you so much" Claire replied appreciatively, glad to know she wouldn't have to be burdened with a cast for the next month. Aaron was hard enough to care for with both legs functioning. 

"No problem. Just try to be more careful" The doctor replied, and turned to head to the next patient. Once he'd left Claire turned her attention back to Charlie, legs swinging back and forth over the edge of the bed like a toddlers. 

"So where am I taking you?" He questioned casually, hands shoved in his pockets as usual. Talking to Claire usually made him a bit nervous, but at the moment it seemed more natural then anything he'd ever dealt with. "Excuse me?" She questioned, wondering if he'd just asked her on a date. 

"Where are you staying?" He clarified, explaining that he would be calling the taxi and riding there with her. "Oh! The star light motel" She explained, feeling a bit dumb for misunderstanding the statement. He wasn't hitting on her, he was just being a gentlemen. 

"Why are you at a hotel?" He questioned, begging to wonder why she was even still in Los Angelus at all. Claire sighed and looked down at her bare legs and her newly acquired bandages, not wanting to go over the situation. 

"No one came for you either, huh?" He questioned, reading the disappointed look on her face. "No one came to the air port for you?" She asked, her voice filling with sympathy. Charlie frowned. 

"Nope. Guess I'm just not that special. If someone came for you, then why aren't you in Australia?" He questioned, determined to have his answer. "Because the someone who came happened to be an ass whole" Claire replied with a roll of her eyes. 

"Thomas?" Charlie questioned, feeling his heart begin to pump just from mentioning the pricks name. Claire looked up in surprised, wondering how remembered after all this time. 

"Yeah. Can you believe it? He was crying and everything. He even tried to hug my for Christ sake!" Claire explained, deciding that if she was going to explain herself, she might as well get some anger out in the process. 

"Wanker" Charlie stated simply, but it was soidentical with what Claire was thinking that he didn't need to say anything else in order to melt her anger. She smiled, glad to have Charlie back to keep her from going crazy. 

"Come on, lets get you back to your hotel" He suggested, and carefully helped her off the bed before walking her down the hall to call their taxi. 


	8. Chapter 8

Charlie walked with Claire into her little hotel room after he accidentally made it apparent that he had to "Piss like a race horse" and blamed it on his fear of Claire's utter demise due to lack of paying attention when crossing a street. 

Claire has smacked his chest and told him to get inside before he wet himself and wondered off to check on Aaron. 

Charlie took only a moment to look around, his need of bladder release controlling most of his mind. But the short over look was enough to tell him a few things. One, this place was a complete dump and he wasn't going to let Claire spend another night in it for fear that Aaron would be eaten by rats in his sleep. 

Two, apparently Kate was baby sitting Aaron during the accident which in her mind consisted of laying on a bed watching herself and the other survivors on the news while Aaron sat at the end of the bed, playing with some toe nail clippers. 

And three, Claire seemed completely terrified by the whole scene and was quick to begin grilling Kate on her lack of responsibility. 

Charlie gave Kate a wave of acknowledgement on his way to the loo and quickly did his business, glad to finally be relieved of the burden as he washed his hands until they were practically raw due to the abundance of bacteria before heading back out to take a look at Aaron, who now sat in his mother lap, inspecting her boo boo. 

"Look Aaron" Claire stated as soon as the bathroom door opening, quick to change his attention before his curious hands began to grab at her bandage. She point a finger at Charlie and Aaron quickly turned his head, his face brightening up as he recognized him instantly. 

"Chawleeeee!" He squeaked, bouncing on the bed in excitement. "Come here, you bugger" Charlie greeted the child playfully, lifting him up off the bed and holding him high in the air. 

Claire eyed the two nervously as Aaron came what she saw as dangerously close to the rickety ceiling fan. Charlie noticed her worried expression and toned the horse play down a not, resting the toddler on his hip as looked him over, wondering how he'd grown so much in the past three days. 

"Well, I suppose my job here is done" Kate announced as she hopped off the bed, leaning over to give Claire a hug. "Nice seeing you again, Charlie" She noted as she zipped up her bag. Charlie smiled and nodded in response. 

"By Aaron" She added in a high, girly voice, waving she pulled up the door. "Bah!" he responded lazily, distracted by Charlie's contentions movement. Kate flashed him a huge smile just the same before closing the door. 

Charlie bounced Aaron energetically on his hip, asking the toddler all kind of questions about what he thought of the city and receiving only shrugs and "I dunno"s in response. 

"He hasn't had much time to actually see the city" Claire explained in disappointment, pushing herself off the bed. 

"Well, that's gonna change" Charlie confirmed, flashing Aaron a playfully grin. "Oh?" Claire questioned skeptically, raising an eye brow and placing her hand on her hip. 

"Uh,hu. Cause you and Aaron are going to come stay at my place, and I'm going to take you both to the park first thing tomorrow" Charlie confirmed, knowing Claire was in just as much of a hurry to get out of this disgusting place as he was. 

"Aren't Sawyer and Desmond staying at your place?" Claire questioned, remembering hear something about it on the plane. "Yep" Charlie replied simply as he sat Aaron down on the bed and began packing her things. 

"How are we gonna fit?" Claire asked curiously, knowing Charlie hadn't left the country in a very good economic state, and assumed that his apartment was a little less then what she would call roomy. 

"We'll make it work" He assured, zipping up her bag. Claire paused for a moment, staring at him in confusion as a wave of thoughts rolled through her head. 

"Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice since you've already packed my bags" She noted, amazed at how fast he'd managed to do so. 

"I guess not" He replied with a shrug an accomplished grin, unable to hold it in. After a moment, a smile worked its way across Claire as well, and she couldn't help but feel a bit realized that he was there to take care of her again. 


End file.
